High Court has frozen more than Sh6.2 billion spread in 62 bank accounts belonging to Nigerian start-up Flutterwave and four Kenyans on fears they are proceeds of card fraud and money laundering.

The billions in Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Equity, EcoBank, KCB and Co-operative Bank accounts were frozen after the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) applied to block the transfer or withdrawal, pending the filing of a petition to have the money forfeited to the government.

The agency said in court filings that their investigations revealed the cash was wired in the guise of payments for goods and services.

“That the 1st Respondent’s bank accounts received billions in a suspected scheme of money laundering and the same deposited in different bank accounts in an attempt to conceal or disguise the nature, source, location, disposition or movement of the said funds,” said ARA.

“The transactions were done using cards issued by the same bank, at the same point, on the same day, raising suspicion of card fraud.”

According to the investigators, Flutterwave accounts had Sh5.17 billion in 29 accounts at GTB, Equity and Eco Bank in Kenya shillings, US dollars, Euros and Sterling pounds.

Flutterwave says on its website that it provides payment technology for merchants, and processes payments on the Web, mobiles, ATM, and point of sale worldwide.

The High Court has also frozen Sh467.1 million belonging to Boxtrip Travels and Tours and Sh436 million in Bagtrip Travels Ltd accounts.

The other accounts include Elivalat Fintech Ltd (Sh1.16 million), Hupesi Solutions (Sh1.6 million), Cruz Ride Auto Ltd (Sh2.4 million).

An account under Simon Karanja Ngige, who is listed as a director of Cruz Ride Auto Ltd, has Sh14 million.

ARA reckons that funds were wired to local bank accounts owned by Flutterwave from multiple countries then wired to the six companies. The agency is questioning the source of cash sent to Flutterwave.

Court filings show that Flutterwave Payments Technology ltd is owned by Nigerians Olugbenga Agboola, Adeleke Christopher, Iynoluwa Samuel and Flutterwave Inc which is registered in the United States with an office on 1323 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco.

A Kenyan-- David Mouko Elizaphan Omaanya-- is also a director but has zero shares. The Nigerian firm was founded in 2018 by Olugbenga Agboola and Iyinoluwa Aboyeji.

The court heard that Flutterwave received Sh12.4 billion between November 2020 and this year in a single account at Equity Bank, reflecting the outsized billions handled by the start-up.

The funds from the Equity account were later transferred to Rem X Ltd, which is owned by Nehikhare Eghosasere and Demuren Olufemi Olukunmi.

Rem X Ltd is at the centre of a separate money-laundering suit, which saw the court freeze Sh5.6 billion in accounts in April.

ARA says Boxtrip Travel and Tours, registered by Enyioma Olufemi Madubuike, a Nigerian, received Sh467.1 million in dollars from Flutterwave Payments technology ltd in two days on April 27, and 28 this year.

ARA said there was no explanation or supporting documents provided to support the transactions and, therefore, believes the accounts were used as conduits for moving illicit cash.

“Further investigations established that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the funds are proceeds of crime obtained from illegitimate sources by the respondent which require to be preserved pending the filing and hearing of an intended forfeiture application,” the agency submitted.

Bagtrip Travels ltd owned by Tofunmi Taiwo Soyemi received Sh436 million from Flutterwave and Rainbow technology Solutions between April 28 and May 6.

The agency says Elivalat Fintech Ltd whose directors are Jackson Mwangi Kamenju, a Kenyan, Palliser ltd and Tiwari Simon Adrian received Sh320.8 million in dollars between November 4, 2020, and April 14, this year. At the time of the freezing order, the account had a balance Sh1.16 million.

Edguru Technology Ltd received Sh14.1 billion from Flutterwave Payments but only Sh99.8 million has been frozen. Its directors, according to ARA, are Adeze Chinenye, a Nigerian and Caroline Wanjiku Muchina, a Kenyan.

An online payment solutions company identified as Hupesi Solutions owned by Kenyan Festus Mumo Mutuku received a total of Sh143.3 million.

From the amount, Sh54.4 million was transferred to Flutterwave Payments, while Sh45.6 million was transferred to GC Natural PL.

The account only has Sh1.6 million and the State agency says transactions were made in tranches of below Sh1 million to beat the CBK reporting threshold.

Cruz Ride Auto Ltd, registered as a car dealer, received Sh2.4 million on June 6 from Flutterwave Payments Technology Ltd and no explanation was given for the transaction which was later transferred to Mr Ngige.

On Kuje Prison Break, Sadeeq Shehu, a military and security expert, wrote:

WHAT I SAW KUJE PRISON

I visited the Kuje Prison for the first time yesterday to see for myself the scene of the attack and somehow put myself in the mind of the attackers in a kind of playback.

I wanted to also see if I could identify some factors that might have contributed to the seeming ease with which the attack was carried out and assess how existing security measures in Kuje compare with what should be the standard for a facility of similar standing.

ABOUT KUJE PRISON

a. It is classified as a Medium Security (MS) prison meaning it is supposed to hold inmates whose escape would pose just moderate risk to community and/or inmates with moderate capacity to break jail. (BH/ISWAP/Ansaru terrorist is high risk and should be in MS)

b. Kuje is designed to hold 560 inmates maximum but as at time of attack was holding some 1000 inmates ie less supervision

c. The main access road leading to the main gate is covered by trees and overgrown bushes such that one’s approach is effectively covered from sight of sentries at gate even in daylight not to say night

d. The outer perimeter wall is just about 6-7ft high as against recommended height of 8-15 ft.

e. Only one or two coil of razor wire placed on top of perimeter wall against recommended 3 coils one on top the other.

f. No second inner fence line once you are over the first perimeter wall you’re through. Prison buildings should have outer and inner fence lines with a clear zone of at least 10 yards in between.

g. The walls of the prison (which attackers broke) is of ordinary cement and block instead of recommended 4 inch thick reinforced concrete wall or precast

h. There are two observation towers but not high enough with line of sight covered by trees and thick bushes. Additionally being positioned deep inside building instead of by the outer perimeter wall the observation towers cannot serve the intended purpose which is to be able..

..to sight /engage with fire, intruders far off before they even reach outer perimeter or raise alarm.

I. A few cctv cameras on the towers (dunno if working) but such cctv should have been on the outer approaches.

m. I observed a few fixed stationery security lights around bt preferably movable lights that are wired to motion sensors so that they come on & point to area of intrusion. I confirm light was off during op which could be normal power outage, deliberate action or no standby power

n. On site Response force (according to NCS official who briefed press) is supposed to comprise 38 military, some unspecified police and civil defense and armed correctional service personnel but no clarity if these were on ground on particular day. Conflicting testimonies

o. The absence of any wounded or dead attacker left behind lends credence to the claim that all the armed defenders ran away without returning effective fire.

p. Facing outside from inside the prison, the left , right, and front are all covered by thick grasses, bushes & a deep ravine valley to the right from which 1 could approach prison completely unobserved especially at night. The attackers came on foot via the valley to the right

q. The fact that attackers operated for between 1-3 hours (depending on source) and again left on foot without the defenders mounting a counterattack (after recovering from initial surprise),

the fact that a divisional police station I sighted 2.5 km away couldn’t provide reinforcements, means there was no any contingency plan in place.

r. Mixing dangerous BHT inmates who ought to be in a maximum security prison with detained less dangerous politicians (Nyame Dariye Lawan Kyari) in same prison was against recommended practice for prison security of categorization and allocation of inmates and...

...probably endangered the less dangerous politicians the attackers could have shot them just for the fun of it or abducted them

The comptroller in charge of that axis should fired immediately.

The United Kingdom has given update on the arrest and trial of senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice.

The UK stated that the lawmaker and his wife will appear in a court in the UK later on Thursday, according to a report by the Guardian.

Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, and Ike Ekweremadu, 60, have been formally charged with conspiracy to facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

They were taken into custody after an investigation by police, which had been alerted in May 2022 to potential offences under modern slavery legislation.

The Nigerian Senate, which Ekweremadu is still a member, said it will work with Nigeria’s High Commission in the UK to hire a lawyer for his defence.

Nollywood actor, Kenneth Aguba who was homeless is now a hot cake amongst the ladies as two have begun fighting for his love following the positive turnaround in his life.

He was recently gifted a house by Omega Power Ministries GO, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, who also vowed to get him a wife.

Like clockwork, ladies began to declare willingness to become Aguba’s wife, and one Anastasia Michael was the first.

She wrote: “I heard General overseer OPM is looking for a wife for Kenneth Aguba , please Tell Him I (Annastasia Micheal Olamma ) am willing to marry him,i am ready to be Mrs Aguba ❤️❤️ I will love him and take care of him very well.

They should come and see my people bikon , I am 24 years old and i am from Enugu state,.. Aguba Deserves to marry me because I am a wife material 1000 yards,I can help him regain his sanity and I will take very good care of him and feed him well. I can’t wait to marry my Agubabym . AguAnna2022 “

However, not long after her post went viral, another lady named Ella Ada also professed her love for the veteran actor.

Ella wrote: “I am ready To Marry The Homeless Nollywood Actor, Aguba. I heard that OPM is looking for a wife for Kenneth Aguba please man of God am ready to be his wife I promise to take good care of him wash his clothes serve him a nice meal please sir I am a wife material I’m ready to give him a child Sir @Aguella2022.”

Anastasia who felt her position as his wife-to-be was being threatened, took to the comment section of Ella’s post to warn her to back off.

She said; ”Leave my husband alone. I saw him first and I am the legitimate wife.”

Ella fired back: ”He have to select which one he love me or you.”

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), Peter Obi, has said that he is considering a number of candidates to pick as running mate, but he prefers a younger person.

Obi made this known during an interview on Arise TV Morning Show on Wednesday, July 6th, 2022.

The former Anambra State governor said he prefers a younger vice presidential candidate who has something to offer rather than recycling the same old politicians.

On the speculation that he has decided to choose Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as his vice-presidential candidate, Obi noted that consultations are still ongoing.

He said; “We’re talking to a quite number of people and Baba-Ahmed is a capable hand. But I wish I can work with somebody who is more younger.

“I prefer younger people who have a lot to offer rather than recycling old hands. I want a competent person and I am building a formidable team.

“I want people who can look me in the eye and disagree with me during cabinet meetings. People who have their own minds and ideas.”

When asked about his manifesto, the presidential hopeful said rather than a manifesto, he had practiced all that he is preaching and Nigerians can verify through his records as governor.

“How can I hire professors to write or draft policy documents for me that I don’t even believe in?

“I have replicated all that I am promising Nigerians before. It would be the same thing. What I did in Anambra and what I achieved is what we will replicate on a larger scale. We want Nigeria to become the engine of production”.

The United States Embassy and its United Kingdom counterpart have warned their citizens in Nigeria against traveling on the airport road in Abuja as well as traveling to 19 states in the country.

In a travel advisory released, the United Kingdom listed states like Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

The foreign citizens were advised to only embark on essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa , Niger, Sokoto, Kogi, within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi State, Abia and non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Plateau, and Taraba.

In a statement on Wednesday, titled, ‘Abuja FCT prison break near the airport on July 5, 2022’, the US Embassy noted that crime has become endemic throughout Nigeria.

The statement reads;

“On the night of July 5, 2022, an attack on Kuje Prison freed a large portion of the estimated 1,000 prisoners. The prison lies approximately 27 miles southwest of the Central Business District.

An increase in crime is expected in and around Abuja. It is recommended that U.S. citizens should maintain a high state of personal security awareness for the next two weeks and avoid unnecessary travel on the airport road.

Crime is endemic throughout Nigeria and tends to spike after dark. Avoiding locations and situations that increase the likelihood of being victimized is the best defence. Avoid displays of valuables and limit nighttime activity.

Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack –including knives, firearms, and vehicles – to target crowds more effectively. Frequently, their aim is focused on unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as:

High-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.), hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists, places of worship, schools, parks, shopping malls and markets and public transportation systems (including subways, buses, trains, and scheduled commercial flights).

Actions to take: Be aware of your surroundings, Keep a low profile, carry proper identification, monitor local media for updates, review your personal security plans, always drive with your windows rolled up and the doors locked, and avoid large gatherings and protests, review alternative travel routes in case of unexpected protests or unrest, exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests, always keep the doors to your residence locked, even when at home.”

The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for the attack on Kuje Prison in Abuja on Tuesday night, July 5.

In a video shared online on Wednesday evening, the terrorist showed some of its men shooting their way into the facility. Tens of fighters were seen marching in groups while vehicles and buildings were on fire in the 38 seconds of video.

An elderly man dressed in native attire also joined the young men who were shouting on top of their voices.

The Islamic State’s A’maq Agency released the video with the caption: “Fighters of Islamic State attacked Kuje prison in Abuja yesterday and succeeded in freeing dozens of prisoners.”

The words were written in Arabic.

The Presidency has responded to Nigerians who have criticized President Buhari for leaving for Senegal hours after the terrorist attack on Kuje prison.

In a brief statement released on social media, the Presidency said governments do not stop working because nations face terrorist threats. 

''The Presidency wishes to use this opportunity to react to mounting criticism of the trip to Dakar, Senegal by President Buhari, and to stress that Governments don't stop working because nations face terrorist threats.

To cancel the trip to Senegal would mean that the terrorists are successful in calling the shots, something that no responsible government in the world will allow.''

Many have been feared dead with others injured after jets belonging to the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) reportedly bombed Kunkuna village, in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Guardian reported that the incident took place at about 11:00 pm on Tuesday July 5, shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s advance team convoy was attacked by terrorists along the Dutsinma -Yantumaki road, in the Dutsinma council area.

Dutsinma shares borders with Safana council area, and terrorists who operate in Dutsinma are often known to escape to Safana where the dreaded Zakka forest is located. Zakka forest extends into Zamfara state, and there are reports that forests within these areas are terrorists’ enclaves.

Daily Trust also reported that the jet hit the wrong targets in the operation launched against camps of bandits in the area.

Sources told Guardian that many of the villagers lost their lives when the bombs exploded while several others sustained injuries. It was also gathered that many homes were leveled to the ground in the process.

Terrorists who kidnapped passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train that was attacked on 28th March 2022, have urged the government to release their children allegedly kept in a Yola detention facility.

They threatened to star killing the passengers in captivity within 7 days unless their demands are met

Leaders of the terrorists spoke on phone to the spokesman of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, Malam Tukur Mamu, ‘And Dan Iyan Fika.

In the audio of the conversations between Malam Tukur Mamu and the leaders of the terrorists that executed the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, the terrorists claimed that the Federal Government suspended the resumption of the train service because of their threats,

”The government suspended the resumption of the train service indefinitely because of our threats and we repeat, if our conditions are not met, the resumption of the train service is to the detriment of the government and the passengers”.

“We don’t need money. We have a good reason for doing what we did, until our demands are met none of the victims will come out alive even if it means we all die with them. They are well taken care of as you can see from the pictures we sent to you via WhatsApp but we assure you that this will not continue”.

“We choose you (Tukur Mamu) to convey this important message to the government, the families of the victims and Nigerians in general because we believe you won’t alter our message and we have seen you severally with Sheikh Gumi in the forest, therefore, we recognized the fearlessness in you”.

The leader of the terrorists; Abu Barra said that it’s been two months since the abduction and anything can happen to the abducted passengers henceforth.

He explained their reasons for the abduction as a retaliation for the arrest and detention of their children by the security agencies.

“Our children numbering about 8 between the ages of one to seven years are currently being held at an orphanage in Jimeta, Adamawa State under the supervision of the Nigerian Army”, he said.

“The names of our children are; Abdulrahman, Bilkisu, Usman, Ibrahim and Juwairiyyah. They were forcefully taken from our wives in Nasarawa and taken to the orphanage in Yola”.

“For any continued discussion on the release of these passengers and a safe resumption of the train service, our children must be released unconditionally. Only then we will release some of the abducted victims, especially the women while other passengers will be released on a prisoner exchange with some of our arrested comrades by the government, he continued.

Abu Barra said that the pictures of the passengers they sent earlier, were among some of the pictures they sent to the negotiation team of the government as proof of the well being of the victims. They said since then the government had been lacklustre.”

“Barra said they decided to come to a GSM enabled location with one of the female victims to talk to Malam Mamu and as a confirmation of their claims. Mamu said he could hear her cries with a very low voice that probably indicates exhaustion pleading with him to please talk to the government on their behalf for a swift intervention on their release.”

He threatened that, if within seven days the government does not respond to their demands, they will stop feeding the victims and will start slaughtering them one after the other and if the government doesn’t respond after that, then Nigerians should forget using the Abuja-Kaduna rail line as well as the Kaduna-Abuja high way.

“If the government decided not to respond so be it. We are warning Nigerians, especially those that are patronizing the train that if this matter is not resolved peacefully, the day they decided to attack us or do anything funny, passengers or commuters should forget to use the train or follow the Abuja-Kaduna road because we will be consistent and they can’t stop us. We believe that you will deliver this message as it is”, he said.

“Therefore, we rely on you and ured you to convey this important message to everyone”, Abu Barra said.

Malam Tukur Mamu replied that he understands the predicament of the government in resolving the abduction imbroglio but stated that every responsible government will look into saving innocent passengers’ lives and make painful compromises where necessary even if it’s against the policy of the administration.

Malam Mamu then explained that prisoner exchange with known criminals on matters of national interest is a global practice and has happened in many developed countries like the United States.

He stressed the need to avoid any military action that will lead to collateral damage and the loss of innocent lives.

“Time is not on our side, the government must understand that they are dealing with persons with a misguided ideology and tainted religious belief. These people are not scared of death, they seem to believe that they are martyrs when they die. It will be a serious mistake to take this threat lightly. I believe an opportunity has been created for us to explore to save the lives of those innocent victims.

For me, if these innocent will regain their freedom because of my involvement involvement and provided that will lead to relative peace and security on our highways and rail lines I wouldn’t mind if I die in the process. We must accept the fact that security alone on the Abuja-Kadunvictima highways remains more fragile than ever and the solution is not militarily alone, especially in a country where impending attacks can hardly be dictated and stopped”, he said.

KEVIDNEWS reports that a video of how EFCC Operative broke into the house of APC senator, Rochas Okorocha has emerged.

A frontline presidential aspirant of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Peter Obi, may have succumbed to pressure from support groups asking him to dump the Peoples Democratic Party.

THE WHISTLER learnt on Tuesday that the former Anambra State governor has perfected plans to defect to the Labour Party for good, due to the politics of the PDP delegates’ election.

The Coalition for Peter Obi (COP) had piled pressure on the former governor to leave the PDP in order to realize his ambition to be president of Nigeria.

The support groups warned Peter Obi that if he failed to leave the PDP, he would be seen in the light of career politicians who brought Nigeria to its knees.

The support groups based their advice on reports that money bags in the PDP were doling out hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the delegates that will vote at the forthcoming PDP presidential primary.

They, therefore, advised Peter Obi to move to another political party to be at peace with his conscience and not to entangle himself in possible political negotiations or maneuvering that will stain him and hamper his ability to serve Nigerians.

This was disclosed in a statement jointly signed by the conveners of the Coalition of over 17 support groups that recently organized a One-Million-Man March that witnessed massive turnout across the 36 states of the federation and FCT.

Over 7 million Nigerians reportedly participated in the march which was held on Saturday, May 21, 2022.

The organizers of the march asked the PDP leadership to be transparent in their dealings and to give Nigerians Peter Obi, a leader with a proven track record of prudent management of resources and wealth creation.

The Coalition, with an estimated ten million active voters across the country, also berated the PDP for playing double standards and violating its own constitutional provision on zoning political offices, thereby toying with the future of our children.

Those who signed the issue on Tuesday morning include Alhaji Zubairu Mohammad Spokesman, CPO, for the following 17 pressure groups: Peter Obi Support Network (POSN); Like Minds for Peter Obi (LMPO); Nigeria Needs Peter Obi (NNPO); TakeBackNaija (TBN); Women for Peter Obi (WPO); Peter Obi FC (POFC); Peter Obi Movement for President (POMP); Associates of Peter Obi (APO/POE); Peter Obi Candidacy Movement (POCM); Peter Obi Ambassadors (POA); TeamOHO; Nigerian Diasporas for Peter Obi (NDPO USA); Peter Obi National Mandate (PONAM); Peter Obi for Good Governance (POGG); YES Peter Obi Support Group (YESPOSG); Peter Obi to the RESCUE Group (PORG); and 17. Nigeria Unites for Peter Obi (NUPO).

The statement reads: “Recent development within the leadership of PDP is very pathetic as many chieftains of the party have ganged up to frustrate the presidential ambition of genuine and decent presidential aspirants, thereby encouraging unscrupulous politicians with no verifiable sources of income to throw monies around.

“They are well-known individuals in the party who are doing everything possible within their powers to block any chance for credible aspirants to emerge. The Party seems to have adopted an unwritten rule of tacitly encouraging the looting of state resources for party politics.

“Many of these political merchants are envious of the nationwide acceptability and sterling performance of Peter Obi both in the public and private sector, making them do everything possible to thwart the former governor of Anambra state’s presidential ambition.

“Therefore, as a Coalition which consists of more than 17 groups with ten million active voters, we call on his Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi to dump Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and look for another political platform with people of like mind to pursue his presidential ambition to enable him help salvage our sinking nation”.

The Police in Edo state has arrested a 27-year-old man, John Aipoh, for allegedly killing his 24-year-old lover, Precious Ikpikhumi, after she called off their four-year relationship, NaijaCover Reports.

Precious, A Final Year Student of the Institute of Health Technology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, was declared missing by her family on May 1 after she went to church and failed to return.

After a detailed investigation, the police arrested John who confessed to having ambushed Precious while she was on her way to church on May 1, took her to an uncompleted building where he murdered her, and then moved to an unknown destination.

It was discovered that Precious and John have been at loggerheads over some issues. It got so bad that Precious even sent a voice note to a friend of hers in which she expressed fears that John might kill her for calling off their relationship.

She said;

''What I want to let you know is that it is not those two boys that are making me to do all these things. It has been long I have been telling John. John said I cannot tell him that I am tired of the relationship as he was the one who approached me and he is the one who can decide when it will end. I told him even if you force me to date you, hope you know you cannot force me to marry you. It is better we have a broken relationship now than a broken marriage.

I can't please. I cannot die. If it happens that truly he harms me or kills because I refused to continue dating him, I know it shall never be well with him. My blood will always cry over his head.

I have made up my mind. If is that I will die in this relationship, a fly that fails to hear word is one that follows the corpse into the grave. Since I don't listen anything John does to me I will bear it.''

Precious is said to have gone underground after calling off their relationship but was unfortunately found by John.

On May 1st, 2022, a disgruntled John decided to carry out his threat to ''end her'' when he dragged her to an uncompleted building and killed her by using her scarf to strangle her. He then escaped to an unknown destination.

Following his arrest, John took the police to the uncompleted building where he dumped Precious's lifeless body.

When interrogated, John who was found with the phones of the deceased, said he killed Precious in anger after she called off their 4-year relationship.

Precious's body has been deposited in the morgue while the suspect is now in police custody and will be charged to court as soon as possible.

CBN’s monetary policy committee raises interest rate to 13%.

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has voted unanimously to raise the benchmark interest rate to 13% after over two years of expansionary monetary policy.

This was disclosed by the Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, while reading the communique of the third monetary policy committee meeting of the year, on Tuesday 24th May 2022.

The rate which had been at 11.5% since September 2020, in a bid to spur economic growth from the recession witnessed in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic, has now been raised by the apex bank after inflation rate rises above 16%.

 The Minister of Science and Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, may be President Muhammadu Buhari’s favourite candidate to carry the flag of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2023 presidential election.

Although there were speculations yesterday that the screening of the party’s presidential aspirants earlier scheduled for May 23 may have been postponed to accommodate former President Goodluck Jonathan who is suspected to have submitted his nomination form through the backdoor, insiders suggested a completely different track in confidential discussions with LEADERSHIP last night.

“The press may have got the whole speculation about Jonathan wrong,” one of the sources with deep connections to the party and the Presidency said. “The real dark horse, the man to watch, is Ogbonnaya Onu.”

The source continued: “It’s because the scales are tipping in Onu’s favour that President Buhari has delayed the signing of the amendment to the Electoral Act, that may have permitted political appointees to be voting delegates at the primaries.”

In Nigeria, state governors fund the parties and wield significant control over delegates at election time. Keeping political appointees out of the equation increases governors’ control. At the same time, however, it makes is easier for the President, who still exercises considerable power of patronage, to whip them in line.

Onu is not the only candidate that could potentially benefit from the exclusion of political appointees in a field that boasts over 25 APC aspirants who have submitted nomination forms, but who mostly have weak party structures. The source said, however, that “Onu carries additional appeal and advantage.”

At 70, age is not one of those advantages in country where there appears to be an increasing demand for youth and energy.

“That is true”, another well-connected source said last night. “But Buhari is looking for something more than age. He is desperate to redeem his legacy, especially in the wake of the raft of crises facing the country. You know the role of Buhari, his sacrifice and that of the Nigerian Army during the civil war.

“Rooting for Onu would be a masterstroke for the country’s unity at this time. It would repair Buhari’s damaged legacy, especially the accusations of nepotism against him. And increasingly, the thinking inside the Villa is that it is both fair and right to look to the South East.”

The source added that Onu, an engineer with a PhD in Chemical Engineering, has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Buhari dating to their days, first in the All Nigerian Progressives Party (ANPP), under whose flag Buhari contested the 2003 election.

Although he is only one of the six South East candidates in the race – the others are Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha; former minister of state for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; and Mrs. Uju Ohanenye – he has served in Buhari’s government as minister since 2015, making him the longest-serving South East minister left in the race.

He is also believed to share similar values of ascetism with the president, his only major run-in with controversy being his promise in 2018 to create 400,000 jobs by producing pencils locally, a promise kept in the breach.

“I can tell you,” the source said, “that increasing, those with big money are less favoured.”

There were indications yesterday that Buhari could convene a meeting of the aspirants on Wednesday to hint at his preferred candidate, a move that could whittle down the crowd of aspirants significantly ahead of the Sunday primaries.

It would be recalled that this was the strategy used to choose the new APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, in March.

In recent times a number of groups, including the Southern and Middle-belt Forum, led by elder statesman, Edwin Clark, have called for the ruling party to yield the presidential ticket to the South East.

The leader of the Yoruba Cultural Group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, was the first leading South west leader to make the call on grounds of “equity and fairness.”

During an interview with Channels TV in January, Buhari had said even though he had a preferred candidate, he would keep the candidate close to his chest for the candidate’s sake.

That statement has been interpreted variously, especially by dark horses, but so far, none so probable as Onu.

Buhari and Onu share a long political history. They were both in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). While Buhari, in 2010, left to form defunct, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Onu emerge national chairman of ANPP.

Their paths crossed politically again, when Onu as chairman of ANPP spearheaded the merger of legacy parties, namely CPC, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and a faction of All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) that formed the APC.

With Buhari leading the CPC bloc and Onu leading the ANPP bloc, both party leaders had worked closely and harmoniously, a relationship that ensured that Onu emerged and served as minister for the better part of Buhari’s administration.

Until the APC merger, Onu had remained a loyal ANPP (formerly APP) member since 1998 when he emerged the party’s presidential candidate.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have surrounded the private residence of a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, Daily Trust has learnt.

The house is located at No 3, Nyasa Close, Off Ontario Street.

Our correspondent, who is currently at the residence, also observed the presence of armed personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

A source at the anti-graft agency said on Tuesday that Okorocha has been snubbing several invitations extended to him over alleged corruption against him.

The spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, has yet to respond to several phone calls by our correspondent.

Adam Namadi, son of former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, has reportedly asked delegates to refund the N2 million each he doled out before the election....

After securing just two votes at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Kaduna North Federal Constituency of the House of Representatives, Adam Namadi, son of former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, has reportedly asked delegates to refund the N2 million each he doled out before the election.

Namadi, who had promised to add N1.5 million to the amount given to each of the delegates, secured the least votes among the three contenders.

The delegates raked in millions of naira from the aspirants who appeared in a hurry to outspend one another.

At the end, Samaila Suleiman, the incumbent representative of the constituency carried the day as he defeated Namadi and Shehu Usman ABG.

Suleiman, who recently decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, won with 22 votes against Shehu Usman ABG who polled 14 votes.

Delegates told Daily Trust that Suleiman had distributed between N3.5m and N4m to each delegate while ABG gave out N2.5m in cash and Namadi had distributed N2m to delegates.

However, having lost the contest, both ABG and Namadi demanded an immediate refund.

Suleiman, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties, left the APC following the interest of Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s eldest son in his seat at the green chamber.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks to place a post-no-debit on the bank accounts of 18 companies.

The directive was conveyed in a circular signed by Haruna B. Mustapha, CBN's Director of Banking Supervision and released on Thursday August 19. 

The BusinessPosts reported that the apex bank also instructed banks to send details of the accounts.

The affected companies include Bakori Mega Services, Ashambrakh General Enterprise, Namuduka Ventures Limited, Crosslinks Capital and Investment Limited, IGP Global Synergy Limited, Davedan Mille Investment Limited and Urban Laundry.

Others are Advanced Multi-Links Services Limited, Spray Resources, Al-Ishaq Global Resources Limited, Himark Intertrades, Charblecom Concept Limited, Wudatage Global Resources Treynor Soft Ventures, Fyrstrym Global Concepts Limited, Samarize Global Nigeria Limited, and Zahraddeen Haruna Shahru.

Though the reason for the decision was not stated, it was however learnt that the affected accounts belong to bureaux de change (BDCs), construction firms, investment companies, laundering services, and property companies.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the statement made by President Buhari that he doesn't want to leave office as a failure.

Recall that the President said this on Thursday, August 19, while meeting with the security chiefs. Read here.

Reacting to his comment, PDP in a statement released by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said "President Buhari is already a failure in governance and will leave a failure," adding that his ''attempt at political damage control cannot help his fizzling All Progressives Congress (APC)''.

The PDP in the statement described the comment by President Buhari that he will not leave office as a failure as “medicine after death” adding that as "long as he is a product of the corrupt, inept, directionless and anti-people APC, he will leave as a failed leader."

''The party asserts that President Buhari’s veiled admission of failure, which smacks as a tactic to exonerate the APC, is an exercise in futility as the APC, which now only exists on paper, will soon fizzle from our political firmament, having shown itself as perverted platform that cannot be entrusted with governance at any level in our country.

President Buhari and his APC have failed in their three-pronged promises of security, anti-corruption and economic development.

They have instead wrecked all sectors of our nation life with no hope in sight.

What explanation can the Buhari Presidency and the APC offer for failing to decisively tackle terrorists, insurgents and bandits, who are daily ravaging our communities, killing and maiming our compatriots in various states across the country, despite the huge resources at their disposal?

How do President Buhari and APC leaders sleep at night when they know that due to their incompetence and compromises, hundreds of Nigerians, including school children are languishing in kidnappers’ den at the mercies of their assailants and the elements?

President Buhari has so failed as a Commander-in-Chief that non-state actors have taken over, with regions now resorting to their own security outfits while state governors, including his home, Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, telling helpless victims of terror attacks to defend themselves.

On the economy front, President Buhari has only succeeded in ruining the once robust economy handed over to him by the PDP administration in 2015 and turned Nigeria into the poverty capital of the world, where over 82.9 million once thriving Nigerians can no longer afford their daily meals and other necessities of life.

Moreover, the Buhari Presidency cannot point to any landmark project it conceptualized, started and completed in the last six years.

All it can boast of is the mortgaging of the future of our nation with accumulated N33.107 trillion debt with nothing to show and no clear repayment plan.

More atrocious is that Mr. President is seeking to borrow additional N5.62 trillion, when he knows that he has less than two years in office.

Rather than fighting corruption, the APC-led Buhari administration has become the citadel of corruption where over N15 trillion naira have reportedly been stolen by APC leaders from various agencies under the cover of government.''the statement in part read

The party mentioned that what is expected is for the President to "apologize to Nigerians and allow Nigerians to work with the PDP to salvage the country."

''The publicity Nigerians can recall how the PDP recently held a strategic meeting where suggestions on how to entrench unity, reduce tension, fight insurgency, curb corruption and restore our nation to the path of economic progress, were placed at the behest of Mr. President and how he failed to listen to the voice of reason.

What is expected of Mr. President and the APC at this point is for them to end their media orchestrations, apologize for their failure and allow Nigerians to chart a fresh course as they rally with the PDP to salvage our dear nation.'' the statement read

7-year old marriage of Paul Okoye, one half of defunct music duo P Square popularly known as Rude boy and his entrepreneur wife, Anita Okoye has crashed as the latter files a petition for a divorce.

Details surrounding the crash of the marriage came from the leak of the official petition for the divorce which cited irreconcilable differences as the basis of the irretrievable break down of the marriage.

The couple got married in 2014 after dating for 10 years and they both share three beautiful children.

The news of their pending divorce comes as a massive shock to both families and their close friends.

A source close to the couple confirmed that both parties will proceed amicably with the legal resolution and be the best co-parents in the interest of their children.

The source also said that Paul and Anita have always been very good friends and like every couple they have had issues for a while but plan to remain on good terms and keep the friendship they have always had since their days as university students.”

MEGA DROUGHT : The first-ever water shortage was declared by US officials Monday, from a river that serves 40 million people in the West

US officials declared the first-ever federal water shortage on Monday, from a river that serves 40 million people in the West, triggering cuts to some Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico farmers next year amid a gripping drought.

Water levels at the largest reservoir on the Colorado River - Lake Mead - have fallen to record lows.

Along its perimeter, a white 'bathtub ring' of minerals outlines where the high water line once stood, underscoring the acute water challenges for a region facing a growing population and a drought that is being worsened by hotter, drier weather brought on by climate change.

Lake Mead supplies water to millions of people in Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico.

Arizona will be hardest hit and lose 18 percent of its share from the river next year, or 512,000 acre-feet of water. That's around eight percent of the state's total water use.

An acre-foot is enough water to supply one to two households a year.

Nevada will lose about seven percent of its allocation, or 21,000 acre-feet of water. But it will not feel the shortage largely because of conservation efforts.

California is spared from immediate cuts because it has more senior water rights than Arizona and Nevada.

Mexico will see a reduction of roughly five percent, or 80,000 acre-feet.

States, cities, farmers and others have diversified their water sources over the years, helping soften the blow of the upcoming cuts.

However, federal officials said Monday's declaration makes it clear that conditions have intensified faster than scientists predicted in 2019, when some states in the Colorado River basin agreed to give up shares of water to maintain levels at Lake Mead.

'The announcement today is a recognition that the hydrology that was planned for years ago - but we hoped we would never see - is here,' said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton.

Lake Mead was formed by building the Hoover Dam in the 1930s.

It is one of several man-made reservoirs that store water from the Colorado River, which supplies household water, irrigation for farms and hydropower to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Mexico.

But water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the river's two largest reservoirs, have been falling for years and faster than experts predicted.

Desperate Afghan mums have been filmed throwing their babies over barbed wire fences at the Kabul airport and begging British paratroopers to take them to safety. 

Violent scenes have unfolded at one of the routes to Hamid Karzai International as people try to escape a future under the Taliban militant group.

The entrance to the Baron hotel has become the focal point where Afghans seeking refuge in the UK have been gathering in the hope of being able to escape the Taliban.

It is guarded by Parachute Regiment troops.

One officer told the Independent: "The mothers were desperate, they were getting beaten by the Taliban. 

"They shouted, 'save my baby' and threw the babies at us.

"Some of the babies fell on the barbed wire. It was awful what happened.

"By the end of the night there wasn’t one man among us who was not crying."

Another senior military officer spoke about the scenes to Sky News.

He said: "It was terrible, women were throwing their babies over the razor wire, asking the soldiers to take them, some got caught in the wire.

"I’m worried for my men, I’m counselling some, everyone cried last night."

The UK is currently evacuating British citizens and Afghans who worked for the government during the 20-year-war.

The route to the Baron Hotel also leads to the facilities of other countries which are carrying out evacuations, and the numbers of those desperate to get away are growing by the day as even those without paperwork beg to be airlifted to a place of safety.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the armed forces cannot take youngsters without their families.

However, he offered reassurance that the UK government is continuing to load families onto planes departing Kabul airport and will continue "rolling through that process".

He said that as he was speaking, troops were loading 120 families on to a plane to depart, with another 138 set to leave a few hours later.

He said: "It is a 24-hour airport now for military planes and they are getting through.

"Obviously we cannot just take a minor on their own and it is difficult, but you will find, I think if you see in the footage, the child is taken – that will be because the family will be taken as well.

"It will be the challenge of trying to make it through the crowd. We are finding other ways of dealing with that, but that is what is happening."

The National Information Technology Development Agency has sanctioned Soko Lending Company Limited, an online lending platform, with a fine of N10m for privacy invasion.

This was contained in a press statement titled ‘NITDA sanctions Soko Loan for privacy invasion’ issued by NITDA’s spokesperson, Hadiza Umar, on Tuesday.

The statement said, “This action was taken after receiving series of complaints against the company for unauthorised disclosures, failure to protect customers’ personal data and defamation of character as well as carrying out the necessary due diligence as enshrined in the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation.”

It added, “One of such complaints filed by Bloomgate Solicitors on behalf of its client, the data subject, was received on Monday, 11th November 2019. NITDA, as part of its due diligence process commenced investigation over the alleged infractions of the provisions of the NDPR.

“According to one of the complainants, when he failed to meet up with his repayment obligations due to insufficient credit in his account on the date the direct debit was to take effect, the company unilaterally sent privacy invading messages to the complainant’s contacts.

“Investigation revealed that complainant’s contacts who were neither parties to the loan transaction nor consented to the processing of their data have confirmed the receipt of such messages.

“The agency made strident efforts to get Soko Loan to change the unethical practice but to no avail. After the agency’s investigation team secured a lien order on one of the company’s accounts by which it could come up with privacy enhancing solutions for its business model, Soko Loan decided to rebrand and direct its customers to pay into its other business accounts.

“The agency’s investigation further revealed that the company embeds trackers that share data with third parties inside its mobile application without providing users information about it or using the appropriate lawful basis.”

NITDA said it found Soko Loan to be in violation of the use of the non-conforming privacy notice, contrary to Article 2.5 and 3.1(7) of the NDPR.

For the alleged breaches privacy data, NITDA imposed a monetary sanction of N10m on Soko Loan.

It also directed that no further privacy invading messages be sent to any Nigerian until the company and its entities showed full compliance with the NDPR.